Brothers
by CSMichaelis
Summary: Luca looked at his brother with concern, the older boy was pale and shivering through the sheet he had wrapped himself in. "Brother, promise me something?" Luca asked sadly. "What?" Jim replied sleepily. "Don't go away like mum and dad did."
1. Chapter 1

"Don't be afraid Luca, I'll be alright." Jim Macken assured his younger brother before coughing harshly into his fist. Luca looked at the older boy through sad eyes. Jim was pale nearly the color of the sheet he was wrapped in.

"But you've been ill for a long time, when will you get better?"

"It hasn't been that long, only a few days. I'll be well before you know it."

"What if you need medicine, we don't know what kind or anything, I don't want -" Jim rested a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"We'll figure it out,we always do. I don't want you to worry about that right now. I just need some sleep okay?" Luca nodded but didn't seem convinced.

"I need to lie down for a little while, do you remember what I told you yesterday?"He asked.

"Don't leave here without you because it's safer if we're together." The boy replied, Jim smiled faintly.

"That's right. If something happens, I won't be able to help you if I'm not there. It might be a good idea for you to sleep too." Jim laid down on the makeshift bed they had made of old clothes and sheets that they had collected from severs villagers.

"Brother?"Luca call softly settling onto his own.

"What?" The eldest boy called back closing his eyes.

"I love you very much." Luca watched his brother shiver beneath the sheet.

"I love you too Luca,everything's going to be fine"

"Promise me something?" The younger boy said glancing around the place they now called home. It was a small space and the entrance was easily hidden.

"what kind of promise?"

"Don't leave like mum and dad did, please brother. I don't know what I'd do if I never got to see you again. You're all I have and you've always taken good care of me." Luca began to sob quietly,he missed their parents and felt lucky that he had always been close to Jim. Jim turned to look at his little brother. He felt sad for the boy.

"Luca, I want you to listen and understand what I'm going to tell you. I'll never,ever leave you I'm going to look after you you're always going to have me, I promise." Jim said gently. The sincerity of his brother's voice seemed to ease Luca's fear.

"Try to get some sleep, when I wake up, we'll get something for you to eat."

"Yes your highness." Many thoughts ran through Luca's mind, Jim had been caring for him since Luca had entered the world, often telling the child that before he was born,Jim had been hoping for a baby brother and had been overjoyed to hear he would be a big brother.

Looking back to his memories, Jim proved nothing less, even helping nurse Luca back to health after a terrible fever. It was Jim that Luca saw when he opened his eyes that day and it was Jim now that despite his illness insisted on continuing to be in Luca's opinion the best brother ever.

He turned his head to the ill boy who was now asleep.

"You always think of me first, now you're ill and this time brother, I'll be taking care of you. I love you and I don't want you to go away from me, I'll get you everything I can. I hope you won't be too upset but I won't be gone long, you need to rest." He whispered before standing up and walking over to Jim.

Luca pressed a hand gently to Jim's head.

"You have a really bad fever, don't worry, I'm going to make sure you get better fast." He leaned down and kissed his brother's head.

"Sleep well your highness, sweet dreams.I'll be back before you wake up. I hope you understand." He returned to his bed and removed two of the sheets from his pile and laid them carefully over his shivering brother. After one last glance at the sleeping boy, Luca began his journey to gather everything he could to take care of his brother.


	2. Chapter 2

Luca hoped his brother was still asleep, he had been gone longer than he had planned. He looked at the items he had laid out on the ground on a white blanket he had taken.

"Water for brother, some for me, a little bit of bread, little towels and I think that's it for now. I'd better get back before he knows I'm gone, but since he's ill, maybe he won't be up yet."He said to himself.

When he arrived, Jim was still asleep. Luca put everything down on his bed and sat down.

"Please Brother, feel better soon. I don't like it when you're ill, you're my big brother and that means you're not supposed to be ill for a long time." He said quietly. He rubbed his eyes and sniffled as the tears taking a few minutes to calm himself, Luca walked over to Jim and rested a hand on his head.

"You're warmer now. I don't know how to make you feel better, I'm sorry." He turned back to his supplies and took his container of water and one of the towels, he soaked the towel and wrung it out before placing it carefully on his brother's head.

"You do this for me when I have a fever, I hope it helps you. I love you so much. I wish our parents were here so they could take you to the doctor. Doctors always make people better. I really don't want you to go away Brother." He was sobbing again.

"I'm not going anywhere Luca, I told you that. You'll always have me, no more tears okay?" Jim said sleepily.

"I'm sorry,I'm just so afraid." Jim opened his eyes and sat up.

"Are you sure you should -"

"Come here." Luca sat down next to Jim,leaning against the older boy. Jim wrapped his arms around him.

"Everything's going to be okay. I promise." Jim soothed.

"But your fever is -"

"Don't worry about that, fevers get worse as the day goes one but they come down again by morning. That's happened before,remember when you were ill and our mother told you that because you were afraid?"

"yes, I remember that, but you -"

Luca, trust me. I'd never lie to you would I?"

"No. Not ever, but it still scares me." Luca cried.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll get better as soon as I can and then you won't have to be afraid."

"Brother, can I sleep over here tonight?"

"Not tonight, I don't want you to catch what I have." Jim explained.

"But, if it's not something scary -"

"Luca, it's fine, I just don't like to see you ill, I'm your brother and that means I have to take care of you. That includes protecting you from being ill if I can."

"You sleep so much when you're ill, I miss you, I know it's important for you to rest but I do."

"Here's what I'll do, I'll rest tonight and tomorrow afternoon we can do something together."

"Wouldn't that hurt you?"

"Of course not, I love you Luca, I'd do anything in the world for you."

"I know you would, you're the best big brother ever!" Luca exclaimed.

"And you're the best little brother, right now though, I need to sleep, unless you need me to -"

"No, just get better,I'll be okay. I love you very much."

"I love you too." Luca stood up to let Jim lie down.

"Hey Luca, those things over there,where did they come from?" Jim pointed to the newly acquired items.

"Oh, we had those, I was looking around in here and there they were." Luca hated lying to Jim but he knew it would upset him if he told the truth. Their mother had always said that someone who is ill should not be upset as it would do more harm than good . Jim didn't reply and Luca walked back to his bed.

"I'm sorry Brother, but it's best if I don't tell you. Please rest and I'll be right here if you need anything."


End file.
